Day 4. Snow in Tennessee?

Thursday January 12, 2023 - Driving from Painesville OH to somewhere in Tennessee

Road trips were made for fast food right? Arby's is healthy too right? I mean it's steak!?

Hell yeah!! What do they put in this cheese anyway it's like addicting for sure!

As I'm sitting, eating and contemplating my next move and what I need to buy - I notice a shop across the parking lot. What the heck is it called...? Adult Mart!? Wow! I wonder what they sell lol? Let me check my list... hmm do I need anything from there...?

Maybe a blowup person to put in the passenger seat so I can drive in the HOV lane perhaps?

Ha!

As I make my way to the REI in Cincinnati to pick up a few things I re-checked the weather and they are still anticipating snow flurries, 30 degree temps again and winds up around 35-40mph. What the...!!? So much for heading south for warmth! So I picked up a little inflatable mattress pad...that store is awesome...

And actually today I have no destinations other than REI. I looked at the map but nothing seemed to call my name so I'm trying to take the spiritual kind of approach and know that sometimes in life all you need to know is the next step. You don't have to see the entire staircase...

After you take that first step the next one will appear. It's a step out in faith sometimes in our lives for sure...where am I gonna live come April? No idea! But it feels like God is telling me that a 5 bedroom house with rent that is jacked through the roof is kinda nuts! Do I stay in the WHB area or move on...I know that even just making the decision to leave - and actually telling the landlord now -opens up all the other opportunities that would not have presented themselves to me had I not expressed that.... first step taken!

As I'm flying down the road at like 66 mph I notice cars running up behind me! Like where ya going to dude! This is Tennessee! What's the rush!? Ha! No I don't really think like that. Out loud anyway.

So I noticed that after being days out of NY that I'm not focused on getting 'there' yesterday! no longer am focused on maintaining that exact 11 mph over the speed limit to get where I have to go as fast as possible lol. It's more of a "I'll get there when I get there" kind of approach...so much more relaxing! No plan, nos stress. Maybe in a past life I lived in the south? I definitely don't like to chew. No, I mean I definitely chew. Food. Just not that stuff in the can. WTFreak is that all about? How did that become a thing? Then spit out gunk every few minutes!? Is there tequila in that can too? Then it might be worth it lol. OH geez my website is gonna get pulled for sure ...

As I stopped for lunch I spent some time letting people know about the website too...texted friends n stuff...time well spent! Nice to have a group of all y'all with me...thanks for the shoutouts. Even though my mind is telling me man I coulda been killing a road ride somewhere...the relaxing downtime is paramount, its the yang to the active other moments...balance!

It's been pouring everywhere so decided to just keep rolling closer to Gatlinburg Tennessee which is calling my name. I almost took my kids to Dollywood park there years ago so I think the weather is telling me to just keep rolling. Never been a Dolly Parton fan but the area does have...huge tracts of land... (any Monty Python fans?).

I made it to London and decided I had enough driving! London as in Tennessee. No Parliament here. No Queen. No Big Ben anywhere either. Big Bourbon maybe lol. Oooo that might be a goal for tomorrow if this weather keeps doin' what it's doin lol! Bourbon tasting?

Got off the exit looking for a place to park and camp. Someplace safe enough where I won't wake up and find my jeep on blocks and the new wheels gone (is that the NY'er in me!?) and yet private enough that I can get some shuteye without the morning Starbucks crowd gawking at me in my tidy whiteys in the morning. (Sorry is that a bad visual!?) Ha!

Re-organized the gear in the back and hunkered down...lets see how this goes lol.

Inside

Lotsa driving today....

I can spend a lot of time looking inside and miss the outside! Or we can spend to much time looking outside and miss the inside! Funny how everything is a balance between the ying or the yang...or the good and the bad...or

Coins have two sides...

If I believe everything 'bad' so to speak, can have an upside...I wonder...does everything good then have a bad side? Or better yet - just an opposite!?

There cannot be an upside unless there is a downside right? We define things in comparison to the opposite if we look closely...so if the opposite doesn't exist then...?

Whoa!! Getting a little deep here Ducky! Before ya know it you'll be buying a tract of land to start a commune or something. (Send all donations to Kreb Cycle bike shop in care of Duck Pond Pete's retirement fund...er...I mean...a beautiful love commune). Whooo geeez man I need a good ride lol!

But I do think this is where deciding to choose the good in everything though, or even just looking for it, then sparks the destiny of our own lives....puts us on a greater trajectory - I like that...

Also keeping the balance in our lives in anything - . Driving I can get into my own thoughts and lost in 'myself' and man if I did this kind of self reflection 24/7 I would probably end up like living in a cabin next to the Kazinski family! Opposing this if all I did was ride a bike outside and never reflect...I'd probably not have the awesome family and friends that I do. Time invested in their lives, something outside myself, has paid back dividends like I never could've imagined! Love y'all!

So important to insert oneself into the community, to socialize and make friends. Just for this reason lol! Iron sharpens iron right!? Well if you're only surrounded by yourself or the same 3 people everyday... those knives can only sharpen each other so much...then they just begin grinding each other down...

I just thought of Tom Hanks in that movie talking to his volleyball... as I found myself talking to lil Duckpond Pete on the dashboard. I think it's time to get out of this car and go for a ride! He agreed so I felt better about that lol.

Maybe I should see someone...like a therapist lol : )

Outside

Lots driving! I've been letting Spotify take my music listening on a journey also...it started with me selecting Jordan Davis music and it eventually spread out to JJ Grey and Mofro and Martin Sexton (wow I found his voice unbelievable!) (Chris Joinnides give 'em a shot...music feels real which I know you resonate with!). It was more of a bluesy feel which totally seemed to match the wet, cold dreary drive that I was finding myself in also...pretty cool. His voice whacked my soul like the rain hitting the windshield - totally give these artists a try...ya might find something appeals to you that you never thought would!

Or not.

All good lol.

Not much more outside...just rainy roads...

Upside

It is so cool to think I have this technology that lets me stay in touch with people like by texting or this blog! Shouts back...prayers for safety...feels so warm...

downside

In a car by myself listening to my own conversation for sure!!! (whoa kinda scary!)

Kaitlyn called, I'm missing making a latte with her and grabbing a lil hug from her in the morning.

The rain...I really would like to get outside for a bit!

Missing the community feel of Kreb Cycle in downtown Eastport NY...